A Natural Pair

A Natural Pair

Enjoying a good wine and a good cheese can enhance the flavors and complexities of both. Yet not all wines and cheeses go together. Make sure you pick a wine that complements the flavors in your favorite cheese. The "keep it simple" approach applies here. These suggestions will help you plan the perfect partner list.

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Blue Cheeses

Blue Cheeses

This family of cheeses — made from cow's milk, goat's milk, and sheep's milk — is treated with molds to produce blue and green veins. Although blue cheeses typically have strong flavors that intensify with age, there are also a few that can be defined as relatively mellow. Their tastes can include a distinct sweetness that's often combined with the salty, sharp, and tangy notes that you'd expect from a blue.

A Natural Pair

Enjoying a good wine and a good cheese can enhance the flavors and complexities of both. Yet not all wines and cheeses go together. Make sure you pick a wine that complements the flavors in your favorite cheese. The "keep it simple" approach applies here. These suggestions will help you plan the perfect partner list.

Maren Caruso/Getty Images

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Blue Cheeses

This family of cheeses — made from cow's milk, goat's milk, and sheep's milk — is treated with molds to produce blue and green veins. Although blue cheeses typically have strong flavors that intensify with age, there are also a few that can be defined as relatively mellow. Their tastes can include a distinct sweetness that's often combined with the salty, sharp, and tangy notes that you'd expect from a blue.

Brie

Most often made from raw or pasteurized, whole or skim cow's milk, Brie is French in origin. It's characterized by its soft, creamy texture and a thin, edible rind. Flavor-wise, Brie is somewhat buttery and slightly sweet. Be sure to eat at the peak of ripeness to take advantage of its best flavors.

Wine Recommendations

Champagne and Sparkling Wines: Authentic versions of Champagne are made in Champagne, France, but other areas make it as well. Try Veuve Clicquot Champagne (nonvintage) from France, Freixenet Cava from Spain, or Domaine Carneros Brut from California.

Cambozola

Native to Germany and Austria, Cambozola is considered a cross between a Gorgonzola blue and Camembert. Cow's milk is the main ingredient of this cheese, with added cream to give it a smooth, creamy, and spreadable texture. For the most part, flavors are mellow and mild with a bit of zip from the blue.

Wine Recommendation

Merlot: A soft, round red wine that has a very supple texture. For Cambozola, choose a Merlot from California. Try Mantanzas Creek Merlot or Shafer Merlot.

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Fresh Goat Cheeses

Made purely from goat's milk, goat cheese (also referred to as chèvre) is available in many different shapes and is often rolled in cracked black peppercorns or herbs for added flavor. Characterized by a somewhat sharp and tangy flavor, its texture can be soft, creamy, dry, or firm.

Monterey Jack (Aged)

This cheese earned its name from its birthplace: Monterey, CA. Made from whole, partly skimmed, or completely skimmed cow's milk, aged Monterey Jack is pale yellow in color and firm in texture with a sharp, nutty flavor.

Wine Recommendations

Cabernet Sauvignon: Wine made from the red Cabernet Sauvignon grape. A California Cabernet Sauvignon (or Merlot) pairs nicely with a California cheese. Why not try a Cabernet Sauvignon from Monterey, such as Monterey Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon? Or go for Fetzer Merlot.